Brassiere having elastic cups



July 7, 1953 T. B. SCHAUMER BRASSIERE HAVING ELASTIC CUPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 16, 1949 July 7, 1953 T. B. SCHAUMER BRASSIERE HAVING ELASTIC CUPS Filed May 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. E50 5. SCHHUMER,

Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE.

This invention relates to brassieres, and more particularly to brassieres that are provided with cups made from elastic material.

In order to mold and support the breasts of an individual, it is common to provide rows of stitching on the cups. In this way, it is possible to maintain a desirable contour.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a brassiere structure that properly confines and shapes the breasts without the necessity of custom fitting. The invention is especialmaterial that is resilient at least in the direction transverse to the axis of the cup. Stitching on the cups is provided to permit stretching annularly around the cup, said stitching serving to reinforce the cup in the direction from the base to the apex. When the cup is lined, the lining is made sufiiciently yielding to accommodate itself readily to the conformation of the breasts.

It is another object of this invention to provide a brassiere of generally improved construction.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several forms in which it may be embodied. Such forms are shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a brassiere shown as in use on a person;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the brassiere shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 2, of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of one of the cup sections.

The brassiere includes two cups I and 2 joined to a body-encircling portion. This body-encircling portion includes a central member 3 and the sides 4 and 5. The sides 4 and 5 taper to their ends and are provided with detachable fastresponding eyes (not shown) on side 5. sides 4 and 5 are made from one-way stretch 2 eners, such as the hooks 6 on side 4 and cor These fabric, the stretch being permitted in a hori zontal direction.

Each of the cups is similarly formed, and the description of one of them is sufiicient to serve as a description for both.

Thus, cup I is made of four sections 1, 8, 9 and I0, joined together by seams II formed by-lines of inelastic threads. Each of the cup sections 1, B, 9 and I0 is formed of elastic fabric. As illustrated most clearly in Fig. 4, the elastic fabric has a one-way stretch in a direction indicated by the arrow I2, that is transverse to the direction of the seams I I. The bases of the cups are sewed to the sides 4 and 5 and to the central section 3. Elastic webbing I3, I4 and I5 can be sewn on the inner side edges of the brassiere by the aid of zig-zag seams, such as I6, to permit the body-encircling portion of the brassiere to stretch in a horizontal direction. Conventional adjustable shoulder straps I! are also provided.

Each of the cup sections 1, 8, 9 and I0 may be provided with a plurality of inelastic lines of stitching I8 that extend in a direction from the base of the cup toward the top or apex. These supplemental lines of stitching prevent elongation of the cups I and 2. However, they do not prevent expansion of the cups in a lateral direction to increase the diameter. Accordingly, a breast that is normally deep may be more effectively confined to produce the desired contour. The cups of the brassire thus accommodate the enlargement of the base of the breast, due to confinement of the breast by the lines of stitching I8.

Preferably, the central portion 3 which separates the two cups I and 2 may be made of oneway stretch material in which stretch is permitted in a vertical direction. Furthermore, a short piece of elastic webbing I9 can extend below the arch of the center member 3 to assist in urging the cups against the body of the wearer.

The inelastic seams II and the inelastic lines of stitching I8 thus limit outward protrusion of the breasts, while the cups can comfortably confine and shape the breast due to the stretching in the direction illustrated by the arrows 20 in Fig. 2.

The elastic webbing I9 may be omitted if desired, and Fig. 3 shows such a form. Furthermore, the brassire cups may be lined or left unlined, as desired; and the cup material maybe made of two-way stretch fabric in order to lend greater flexibility to it.

The inventor claims:

In a brassiere: a pair of breast cups; a pair of side members made from fabric that is elastic in a direction around the body of the wearer and inelastic transversely of said direction; each side member being joined to the base of a respective cup; and a central portion extending between the cups and joining the side members; each of said cups being made from a plurality of fabric sectors; each sector having a substantially triangular shape, the apices of the sectors converging to form the apex of the cup; the bases 01 the sectors together defining'the base of the cup; each of the sectors being elastic only in a direction substantially parallel to the base of each and each sector having at least one additional line of inelastic stitching extending from the base to the apex of the sector.

'I'I-lEO B. SCI-IAUMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,841,960 Kunstadter .Jan. 19, 1932 1,909,273 Hennessy May '16, 1933 1,997,995 Bowen Apr. 16, 1935 2,023,612 Park et a1 Dec. 10, 1935 2,411,462 Plehn Nov. 19, 1946 2,523,395 -Sellar0le Sept. 26, 1950 a FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 403,418 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1933 France Apr. 11, 1932 

